Question of the Day!!!

[melilley]

How can one possibly be running late when you drop off earlier than you are contracted for?

Ughhh.... All of my dcks are contracted for 7:30 drop offs. Well this morning I was in the basement throwing laundry into the dryer when dd yells "M & L are here"! It was only 7:20. I know it's only 10 minutes, but I use that time to catch up in cleaning, drink a cup of coffee, what have you. Well I told her to tell them that I would be right there...and I made them wait, I usually don't do that. When I came up I said "sorry, I was doing laundry"-I know, I don't know why I said sorry. Dcm and dcd were standing there and looked at me....no "oh that's ok" or anything. Dcm gave dcb's kisses then passively tells them that she is running late! How are you going to say that you are running late?????? You are here early! Then runs out the door. I am not the confrontational type of person and I usually don't get mad at something so little, but it really p'd me off! It was more of dcm's comment and facial expression that did it.

What can I say to them at pick up? A part of me feels guilty telling them that no one is scheduled until 7:30 so I don't open until then because they do pick up early most of the time and came early once so I could go on my anniversary trip early, but another part doesn't give a s*** anymore, as I have a life too, and I want to say something, but what? Or should I not say something and just keep the door locked until 7:30 or would that be rude?

[MsLaura529]

I know it's very common to keep the door locked until opening time. I don't see anything rude with that.

DCM's comment would bother me a bunch, too. Sorry she acted that way.

[melilley]

DCM's comment would bother me a bunch, too. Sorry she acted that way.

Thanks!

[My3cents]

How can one possibly be running late when you drop off earlier than you are contracted for?

Ughhh.... All of my dcks are contracted for 7:30 drop offs. Well this morning I was in the basement throwing laundry into the dryer when dd yells "M & L are here"! It was only 7:20. I know it's only 10 minutes, but I use that time to catch up in cleaning, drink a cup of coffee, what have you. Well I told her to tell them that I would be right there...and I made them wait, I usually don't do that. When I came up I said "sorry, I was doing laundry"-I know, I don't know why I said sorry. Dcm and dcd were standing there and looked at me....no "oh that's ok" or anything. Dcm gave dcb's kisses then passively tells them that she is running late! How are you going to say that you are running late?????? You are here early! Then runs out the door. I am not the confrontational type of person and I usually don't get mad at something so little, but it really p'd me off! It was more of dcm's comment and facial expression that did it.

What can I say to them at pick up? A part of me feels guilty telling them that no one is scheduled until 7:30 so I don't open until then because they do pick up early most of the time and came early once so I could go on my anniversary trip early, but another part doesn't give a s*** anymore, as I have a life too, and I want to say something, but what? Or should I not say something and just keep the door locked until 7:30 or would that be rude?

Your not being confrontational when you enforce your rules. Lock your door and don't open it until your opening time. Simple fix. If they are rude about it, then you smile and nicely say- I don't open until ............ and your early, please don't keep knocking and ringing my bell. Make sure your prompt about unlocking that door on the dot for mornings. If you don't say something you will just be a walking mat to your clients and your policies/rules will mean absolutely nothing.

[melilley]

Your not being confrontational when you enforce your rules. Lock your door and don't open it until your opening time. If you don't say something you will just be a walking mat to your clients and your policies/rules will mean absolutely nothing.

Very true! I do open at 6:00 am, but no one is contracted until 7:30. I am going to start locking the door until 7:30!

[MissAnn]

10 minutes is a lifetime before opening!

[melilley]

10 minutes is a lifetime before opening!

So true!

[itlw8]

can you text them ?? if so send a text. There must of been a mixup between the 2 of you today. Not sure who was supposed to ask if you could come early but it was not done. then when you redo your polices make a charge for coming before contracted time just like you have a late fee afterward.

[coolconfidentme]

Is it 7:30 already? Wow time flies when you are doing laundry!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I ABSOLUTELY keep the door locked until my opening time. Even when I have my one scheduled early child here (3 days per week, he comes 30-60 minutes early depending on the day) that door is STILL locked until my regular opening time.

The first client to arrive at 8:00 has to wait for me to answer the door. The others can walk in until 8:30 and then it is locked again. At closing, I unlock the door 20 minutes prior to because that is when we are all in the front. Anyone who comes to pick up their child prior to that point in time must wait for me to unlock the door.

No one has ever said it was rude! I open the door smiling, EVEN if they attempt to ring the bell 10 minutes early (which I ignore). They are always cheerful and smile back. Nothing rude there! I am also one who does cleaning and such in that 10 minutes before so there is no way I am letting anyone in. LOL!

[melilley]

I ABSOLUTELY keep the door locked until my opening time. Even when I have my one scheduled early child here (3 days per week, he comes 30-60 minutes early depending on the day) that door is STILL locked until my regular opening time.

The first client to arrive at 8:00 has to wait for me to answer the door. The others can walk in until 8:30 and then it is locked again. At closing, I unlock the door 20 minutes prior to because that is when we are all in the front. Anyone who comes to pick up their child prior to that point in time must wait for me to unlock the door.

No one has ever said it was rude! I open the door smiling, EVEN if they attempt to ring the bell 10 minutes early (which I ignore). They are always cheerful and smile back. Nothing rude there! I am also one who does cleaning and such in that 10 minutes before so there is no way I am letting anyone in. LOL!

Haha, I thought of you when this happened! I was thinking about another thread where this was brought up and I remembered thinking that you put something about hearing the ding dongs, but ignoring them.

[Cradle2crayons]

I do only contracted care and I require a text ten minutes prior to arrival and pick up. No exceptions. And if they text early, I have no problem reminding them that drop off time is X

[Laurel]

I lock my door all the time. It is locked after every drop off and once everyone has dropped off. It stays locked all day and the same at pick up. I don't want people coming into my home unless I let them in. It may be my business but it is also my home. I also don't want any daycare children to accidently walk out.

If someone comes two or three minutes early it doesn't bother me but if they come 10 minutes early I'd say "Well I'll let you in early today but please don't arrive before 7:30 from now on as I probably won't be ready. Okay?" (big smile)

I actually walk for exercise in the morning so I probably wouldn't even be home.

Laurel

[Blackcat31]

I'm more of an upfront, direct person.

I would tell mom/dad at pick up that I totally understand that they were only 10 minutes early and that sometimes things happen, but 10 minutes IS a big deal. Then I usually add something like, "if every family got 1 minutes of 'free' time, I'd be giving away more than 2 hours of care for free."

I say it for the shock value so parents can have a peek into MY world.

Managing schedules of multiple families IS hard and I won't apologize for being upset over having to "clock-on" early, even if it is only 10 minutes.

We already work long days as it is and parents really can't be expected to see things from our perspectives because they have never been in our shoes before so I usually take that opportunity to show/tell them what it's like.

I also do sign in sheets. If they clocked in 10 minutes before their scheduled drop off time, they would have a fee of $1 per minute to match the # of minutes they were early.

Helps parents step back and see/understand how their actions effect yours.

[mamac]

I ABSOLUTELY keep the door locked until my opening time. Even when I have my one scheduled early child here (3 days per week, he comes 30-60 minutes early depending on the day) that door is STILL locked until my regular opening time.

The first client to arrive at 8:00 has to wait for me to answer the door. The others can walk in until 8:30 and then it is locked again. At closing, I unlock the door 20 minutes prior to because that is when we are all in the front. Anyone who comes to pick up their child prior to that point in time must wait for me to unlock the door.

No one has ever said it was rude! I open the door smiling, EVEN if they attempt to ring the bell 10 minutes early (which I ignore). They are always cheerful and smile back. Nothing rude there! I am also one who does cleaning and such in that 10 minutes before so there is no way I am letting anyone in. LOL!

I'm quoting you because you mentioned a window of time that your door is left unlocked but this is for anyone that does contracted hours...

How do you charge an "early arrival fee" on the people that show up after you're already open? I get that the first client of the day may arrive to a locked door and have to wait, but what about the next clients that are allowed to just stroll in early? Does it bother you? Do you still charge?